The Difference
by Rovermedic
Summary: One man give the inhabitants of MBA thier dream


Standard disclaimer: I do not own these characters, I only borrow them once in a while. I intend them no harm and try to put them back just like I found them.  
If you are interested in reading more Space 1999 fanfiction please go to www.space1999.net/fanfic  
  
This story take place after the inhabitants of the runaway moon find a new home. Feedback is appreciated.  
  
  
The Difference  
by Paula Austin   
  
  
The orange orb was sinking very slowly behind the timberline. What remained   
shotb tendrils of color across the landscape painting it with a magnificent  
pallet. A slight breeze blew, its air clean and untainted by pollutants. The  
old man breathed in deep, savoring its flavor and reveling in the scenery.  
His face, once young and handsome, was now marred by deep creases. Hair once  
dark and full, was now white and thinning. Yet, despite this there was a  
hint of handsomeness and strength.  
  
He was so caught up in the his own thoughts that he did not hear the soft   
footsteps in the gravel behind him. Only when he felt a light familiar touch  
on his shoulder was the trance broken.  
  
"I thought I might find you out here," Helena paused to take in the  
beauty of the moment. "Each sunset seems more spectacular than the last."  
  
"We missed so many. I never tire of the view," he replied, not taking his   
eyes from the sky.   
  
Neither of them spoke for several minutes. It was times such as these that   
they felt the full gratitude for their salvation. Finally, Helena spoke.  
"You have a young visitor. Do you want to come to the house or shall I send  
her out?"  
  
"Her?" he asked. "Oh yes, the young Morrow girl. Send her out. I'm  
not ready to go in." Though the sun had gone down it would still be  
twilight for a couple of hours. To John Koenig that was the most beautiful  
time of the day.  
  
"All right," she said as she leaned down to kiss his unshaven cheek. "I'll bring out some refreshments. Her name is Sandy."She called out over her shoulder.  
  
He turned to watch her leave. Her petite figure was just as beautiful as the   
day he met her. Despite the hardships they had encountered she had held her  
age well. The lines of maturity that had defined his face had only served to  
refine her own soft features. She was the perfect wife, the perfect mother  
and the perfect doctor to him and her knew he was very lucky to have grown  
old with her.  
  
He turned his eyes back to the sky. The brilliant orange of the setting sun   
had given way to cyan and azure of the twilight sky. Soon two moons would  
make an appearance decorating the sky with their own color. It made him  
think of his own moon and wondered what had become of it.  
  
Hearing footsteps coming up the trail he got up and turned to face his young   
visitor. He smiled as her began to make out her features in the dimming  
light. She was fine boned like her mother and tall like her father.  
  
"Good evening, Mr. Koenig," she said as she held out a hand.  
  
He took the slender hand in both of his and smiled. "Sandy Morrow, you're   
just as beautiful as your mother. It's nice to see you again. Why, I don't believe I have seen you since your graduation." He gestured her  
towards a spot next to him on the rock bench he had been occupying. He sat  
next to her. "How are your parents? It's been a long time."  
  
"They're fine. They send their regards. They've been busy with Andrea.   
She's due to have the first grandchild soon."  
  
John looked thoughtful for a minute. "I remember when we were waiting for  
our first grandchild. Helena insisted that Barbara come stay with us until  
the baby came. Poor Jim, I'm sure he felt alienated, but you know mother's and their only daughters.   
  
"I saw Barbara and Jim last week they were getting ready to go out on the   
boat with Little John and his wife. I'm sorry, I forgot her name." she  
blushed.  
  
"Amy," they heard Helena call as she came up the trail with a tray of  
drinks. She smiled as she approached them. "I wonder when he'll be old  
enough to be just John. He's hardly little anymore." John Robert Koenig  
Junior was a full six foot six inches. A full two inches taller than his  
father in his younger days.  
  
I suppose when I'm long gone." He took a cold drink from Helena. "Still,   
it's a helluva name for a man in his position."  
  
"I'm sure you're very proud to have your son follow behind you. He has  
made a very good leader." She took a sip of her drink and offered Helena  
and approving smile.  
  
"Yes we are." Helena replied for him. "Tell us what you are doing these   
days."   
  
Sandy seemed to welcome the change of subject. "I work with Mum at the  
History Archives. I hope one day to take over her duties as curator." She  
leaned closer to make her words easier to hear. "That's partially why I'm  
here. As you know, Mum has been working on an Interactive History. One  
that will be interesting for the younger kids. So, We're interviewing the  
original Alphans collecting facts, memories and ....well, trying to  
fit it all together."  
  
Helena turned at the sound of a vehicle approaching "That will be Barbara.  
I told her I would watch the kids tonight." She got up and offered Sandy  
her hand. "Please excuse me and give your parents my regards."  
  
Sandy got up and took the older womans hand with obvious respect. "Thank  
you, I will, Dr Koenig."  
  
When Helena had disappeared down the path again Koenig reinitiated the   
conversation. "I'm not sure what I could tell you that would be useful.  
Your mother interviewed me several years ago, while my mind was still sharp." He tapped a finger to his skull. "And the rest is in the archives."  
  
"It's not about you really," She began to show unrestrained enthusiasm  
for for her ideas. "There's another reason I'm here today. As you know,  
they are dedicating the new observatory next month. The Victor Bergman  
Observatory and I am trying to work up a bio for it. There isn't a lot of  
information on Professor Bergman and he died shortly after planetfall was  
made so there are no personal interviews. Everyone says you were his closest  
friend. Since you knew him best, I would like your story of his contribution  
to our world. Will you help me?"   
  
He sat there silently for several minutes. Sandy began to think his mind had   
wandered and his faculties were dulled as he had said. She started to open  
her mouth to repeat her question when the far away look in his eyes seemed  
to focus and he began to speak. At first she wasn't sure he was speaking  
to her, but as he spoke a beautiful story unraveled.  
  
"Victor? I don't know. Brilliant scientist, inventor, loyal friend,   
surrogate parent. He was all those things I suppose, but I always thought of  
him as the glue that held us all together.I can't count the times we were  
condemned to certain death and he found a way out of it. Or through it. He  
is the reason we're all here today."  
  
Once again there was a long silence. Sandy watched as his expression changed   
and he seemed twenty years younger. Then once again he started.  
  
"We were worn down. We had been looking at every possible planet as a new   
home and there was always something. Finally, Victor retired to his lab and  
began mapping the stars. We didn't see him much during that time and one  
day he paid me and unexpected visit...  
  
The door to Command Center opened noisily and Victor entered whistling in his   
own distracted way. He sat down on the edge of John's desk and placed a  
stack of atronomical photographs in front of him. "Good morning, John,"  
he said with more enthusiasm than Koenig could muster.  
  
Koenig rubbed a hand over his weary face and took the stack of photos. He   
looked at each one in turn, noticing nothing special until he came to the  
last one. "What's this?"  
  
Bergman beamed as his star student selected the more extraordinary view. "That, in my opinion, is likely our salvation..."  
  
Koenig cut him off. He wasn't ready to raise the hopes of everyone again   
after so many failures. Alpha just didn't have the strength. "Let's  
discuss this in your lab."  
  
Within five minutes they were standing in Victor Bergman's lab. John looked   
around him, amazed at all he had been able to accumulate in their journey.  
"OK Victor," he said finally, "Show me what you've got."  
  
The older man, obviously prepared, started laying out photographs. As he   
talked he became engrossed in his own thoughts, murmuring reminders to  
himself here and there. "You see, these pictures here..."  
  
Two hours later Victor had convinced Koenig to send out a long range recon   
Eagle. The planet was at the edge of the Eagle's range so a refueling  
Eagle refueled it half way out giving it time for a maximum of two orbits  
and three hours on the surface. After that it would be irretrievably stranded.  
  
Due to the high possibility of failure during this mission. Victor persuaded   
Koenig to remain behind and make it a volunteer mission. The idea of staying  
behind and putting others in danger was not popular with Koenig, but Victor  
gave a convincing argument. Volunteers came forward quickly and soon Koenig  
was at the pad seeing the mission off. For twenty long hours he paced  
Command Center waiting for the team to make orbit.  
  
Victor's voice boomed over the speaker finally. "It's beautiful, John.  
Much like Earth must have been in man's early days. There are the polar  
caps. Axis is stable and comparable to Earth's. Large continental land  
masses and abundant water supplies. Wait...." He was speaking to someone  
off to the side. "Well, this paints a pretty picture, indeed. Atmosphere  
seems perfect. Almost a match for Earth's except for the pollutants. We're going to land now. I'll be back in touch soon." Before a warning could be issued the tiny screen went blank.  
  
Soon was almost three hours later. When Victor's face returned to the large   
screen at Command Center he was beaming. "Survey is complete, Alpha. We  
are transmitting results to you. John, I recommend you initiate Operation  
Exodus."  
  
A cheer erupted in the Command Center. People began slapping each other on   
the back and hugging one another. Koenig felt the presence of another  
disappointment looming over him. It was too easy he told himself. He was  
reluctant and Victor sensed it. An error would doom them to a planet they  
couldn't habitate. There were no second chances here.   
  
"John, you have to trust me on this. It's the one." Victor said softly.  
  
Those words from that man were all John Koenig needed to hear.  
  
Operation Exodus was initiated immediately and it wasn't long before John  
and Victor were standing in the middle of a deserted Main Mission. The floor  
was dusty from unuse. "This is where it all began, Victor." he looked  
around the room he knew he would never see again.  
  
"No," he pointed out the window in the direction of the planet "THAT is   
where it all begins. Everything until now has only been prelude."   
  
The planet had been more than they could have hoped for and soon crops were   
planted and the former castaways were building houses and starting families.  
The planet's resources were abundant and for the first time it looked like  
good fortune had smiled upon the Alphans. Victor studied the planet finding  
new and better ways to utilize their resources. Suddenly, instead of  
surviving they were thriving.  
  
One day when Koenig was in the fruit orchard near his house he heard   
footsteps behind him. He turned around to see Victor ashen and thin. He  
urges his friend to sit down immediately, but was waved off. "You've  
been working too hard."  
  
Victor breathed in deeply and smiled at his surroundings. "It's nearly  
done. And been well worth it. What a wonderful planet."  
  
"It wouldn't be possible without you. You found it and convinced me to   
settle here. If not for you we would probably still be out there." Koenig gestured toward the sky.  
  
There was a hint of sadness in Victor's voice. "It was a stroke of luck  
is all."  
  
"Perhaps," He smiled at his old friend. "I have some news that will  
cheer you up. We haven't told anyone yet, but I know she won't mind.  
Helena's pregnant."  
  
Victor smiled and put a paternal hand on his friends shoulder. "That's   
great! So, we begin anew. A new planet, a new chance. It's up to you to  
guide them in the right direction. Don't make old mistakes." Victor  
started back the way he had come. "Give Helena my love."  
  
"The next morning the found him in his bed. He had passed on during the   
night." Koenig paused to take a sip from his drink and gather his  
composure. "On his desk were plans for solar energy plants, hydroelectric  
plants and long term high endurance batteries for our vehicles. He presented  
us with alternatives to ruining our new home by polluting it." Koenig  
stood up and pointed to the west toward the skyline. "All that you see  
here out owe to him. You breathe fresh and clean air because of him. And" he pointed   
to the last rays of color bordering the skyline. "You see that unblemished  
because of him."  
  
He sat down again. "All we have been able to gain since we have been here  
we owe to a man that only lived here briefly. We all have nice houses, an  
abundance of food and are able to pursue hobbies that we could only have  
dreamed of before."  
  
Sandy watched as a sleek sailboat sailed accross the waves trying to make   
port before the last light had vanished. Off to the east the lights of the  
village were coming on, illuminating the shape of the new observatory under  
construction in the distance. She looked up at the sky in time to catch a  
gimpse of a shooting star crossing the horizon. Then she knew how lucky she  
had been to be born in this time and how others had toiled to give her this  
home. How one man CAN make a difference.  
  
  
Paula Austin  
September 13, 1999  
  
  
  
  
  



End file.
